Rose Bowl 2017: Full Preview and Predictions for Oklahoma vs. Georgia

If you like high-scoring football, the national semifinal between the Oklahoma Sooners (12-1) and the Georgia Bulldogs (12-1) may turn out to be the game of the year.

The Sooners earned the Big 12 championship and the No. 2 spot in the final College Football Playoff rankings after beating TCU 41-17 Saturday. Heisman Trophy candidate Baker Mayfield threw four more touchdown passes, but the Oklahoma defense may have been even more impressive.

The Sooners have struggled in that area all season, having allowed five opponents to score 30 points or more, including 52 surrendered to Oklahoma State. However, the Sooners defense has been improving in recent weeks, and the Sooners blanked the Horned Frogs in the second half.

Georgia won the SEC title game and its first conference championship since 2005, beating previously red-hot Auburn 28-7. The Bulldogs are known for their aggressive defense, and after giving up the opening touchdown of the game, they shut down the Tigers the rest of the way. The Bulldogs held Auburn to 259 yards and just 114 rushing yards.

Georgia's SEC title was its first since 2005. Head coach Kirby Smart is quite pleased that he gets to take his team to the Rose Bowl. "I think it's awesome that it's in the Rose Bowl, so that you get to go out to the Granddaddy of Them All and play in a venue that a lot of these kids in the southeast don't get an opportunity to go to," Smart said, per Greg Beacham of the Associated Press (via ABCNews.com).

Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley believes Georgia will provide a major test for a number of reasons, including his opposite number on the Georgia sideline. "Have a ton of respect for him, the coach he is, the team that they have. Know it'll be a great challenge for us," Riley said, per the aforementioned AP report.

The oddsmakers see this as the tightest of games. Oklahoma is a one-point favorite in Pasadena, California, according to OddsShark, and this game appears to be one that could be a back-and-forth affair for 60 minutes or longer.

Oklahoma is one of the hottest teams in the CFP, having won their last seven games by an average of 28 points per game. The Sooners average 44.9 points per game, and Mayfield's passing is responsible for quite a bit of Oklahoma's success. He threw for 4,340 yards and 41 touchdowns, while only tossing five interceptions.

Mayfield has a pair of top receivers in Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews, who have combined for 107 receptions for 1,887 yards and 14 touchdowns. 

Running back Rodney Anderson has 960 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.

Georgia has been quite accomplished when it comes to defending the pass. The Bulldogs give up just 158.3 passing yards per game, and while they may not be able to come close to that against Mayfield, they can provide perhaps his strongest defensive test of the year. Linebacker Roquan Smith led the Bulldogs with 113 tackles, and he is sure to have an impact on Oklahoma's game plan, because he can be a one-man wrecking crew.

Freshman quarterback Jake Fromm triggers the Georgia attack, and he is a decisive leader despite his inexperience. He has thrown for 2,173 yards and 21 touchdowns, and one of the reasons for his success is that he has a strong running game supporting him.

Nick Chubb and Sony Michel are two of the best backs in the game, and they complement each other quite well. Chubb is a power back who will wear down a defense, while Michel is a slasher who can run over and by defenders.

Prediction

Even though Georgia is known for its defense and should be able to get a few stops, this game appears to be a high-scoring affair with big plays by both teams.

It will be a shock if Oklahoma's defense can slow down the Georgia running attack, and it will also have a hard time holding Fromm's passing attack in check.

On the other hand, Mayfield looks unstoppable at this point, and the Sooners have too many explosive weapons. Look for Oklahoma to come away with a high-scoring victory by no more than seven points.